Duke of Rutland banned from driving and fined £3,025 - BBC News BBC News Duke of Rutland banned from driving and fined £3,025 12 July 2016 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption The Duke of Rutland - who has been banned from driving - lives in the family seat of Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire One of the wealthiest aristocrats in the UK has been banned from driving after amassing 24 points on his licence. The Duke of Rutland - who lives in Belvoir Castle - was caught speeding twice in Nottinghamshire, once in North Yorkshire and again in Derbyshire in an eight-month period. He was banned for a year and 15 points were added to the nine he already had. He was also ordered to pay £3,025 in fines and costs. The Duke, who was named in Northallerton Magistrates' Court as David Charles Rutland, failed to respond to the fixed penalty notices and a trial was set until his lawyers indicated he would plead guilty. 'Considerable means' Rutland did not appear at the hearing which was told he was driving a Land Rover Discovery at the time of the offences.

His solicitor Lisa Wilson said: "He does not wish to minimise the offences. He does not wish to put forward an argument of exceptional hardship. "The court may consider that with the title he has and the property he resides in the defendant is of considerable means." Rutland, whose wealth was estimated at £140m by the Sunday Times Rich List, lives in the family seat of Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, set in 18,000 acres of land. It has been the backdrop for several films including The Young Victoria and the Da Vinci Code while Haddon Hall in Derbyshire - also owned by the family - featured in Pride and Prejudice in 2005.

The offences: Driving at 59mph in a 50mph near Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, in November Driving at 61mph in a 50mph stretch of the A1 between Scotch Corner and Barton in North Yorkshire in September Driving at 73mph in a 50mph near Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, in March Driving at 37mph in a 30mph on the A61 near Chesterfield in June last year Rutland was ordered to pay £2,550 in fines, £400 in costs and a £75 victim surcharge. Duke of Rutland keeps his marriage split in-house | The Independent Duke of Rutland keeps his marriage split in-house Sunday 16 September 2012 23:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Online The Duke and Duchess of Rutland might be separating, but they are maintaining a most civil arrangement. The couple split after the Duchess discovered the Duke's infidelity. Despite the separation, they both continue to share the family home, Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, with their five children and their new partners. Of course their unusual marriage is not the first for the modern landed gentry.

Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, has, since he married in 1969, had relationships with scores of other women or "wifelets", a number of whom he has installed at his family's seat, Longleat. But the Rutlands' set-up is far more equitable. And while not everyone has a castle to divide up, for the aristocratic classes, it could provide a model for modern marriage.

Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland (1754 - 1787) - Genealogy Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love Build your family tree online Share photos and videos Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland Birthdate: Half brother of Anne (Manners) Manners-Sutton and George Manners Managed by: John Manners, Frances Manners (born Somerset) Wife: Mary Isabella Lady Manners (born Somerset) Children: John Manners, Lady Frances Manners (born Seymour) Wife: Lady Mary Isabella Manners, Duchess of Rutland (born Somerset) Son: John Manners, Frances Manners (geboren Seymour) Wife: Mary Isabella Manners (geboren Somerset) Son: John Manners, Frances Manners (o.s. Seymour) Siblings: Frances Carpenter (o.s. Manners), Robert Manners, Anne Manners-sutton Wife: Mary Isabella Manners (o.s. Somerset) Children: ...nry Manners, Charles Henry Somerset Manners, Elizabeth Isabella Manners, Katherine Mary Weld-forester (o.s.

Manners), Robert William Manners John Manners, Frances Manners (born Seymour) Siblings: Mar 15 1754 - Rutlandshire, England Death: Oct 24 1787 - Dublin, Ireland Parents: John Manners, Frances Manners, Marquess Of Granby (1745-1770), Marquess of Granby (born Seymour) Siblings: John Manners, Marquess Of Granby (1745-1770), Frances Seymour Wife: Mary Isabella, Lady Somerset (Haus Beaufort) Children: Isabella Manners (nacida Somerset (Unknow)) Children: ...da Manners Somerset), Robert William Manners Somerset, Charles Hnery Manners Somerset, John Hnery Manners Somerset, Elizabeth Isbella Man... Mary Isabella Manners Children: ..., John Henry Manners, Katherine Mary Weld-forester, (geb. Manners), Charles Henry Somerset Manners (Rutland), Robert William Manners, Wil...

John Manners, Frances Manners, Lady (born Seymour) Wife: Mary Isabella Manners, Countess of Northampton (born Somerset) Children: John Manners, Frances Manners (born Seymour) Wife: Mary Isabella Manners (born Somerset) Son: John Manners, Frances Manners, Marquess of Granby (born Seymour) Siblings: John (Lord Ros) Manners, Frances Anstruther, Countess of Tyrconnel (born Manners), Robert Manners, Caroline Manners, Catherine Manners Wife: Lady Mary Isabella Manners (born Somerset) Children: ...rman (born Manners), John Henry Manners, Katherine Mary Weld-forester (born Manners), Charles Henry Somerset Manners, Robert William Manners brother About Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland KG, PC (15 March 1754 – 24 October 1787) was a British politician and nobleman, the eldest legitimate son of John Manners, Marquess of Granby.

He was styled Lord Roos from 1760 until 1770, and Marquess of Granby from 1770 until 1779. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating the latter with a nobleman's MA in 1774.[1] That year, he was elected to one of the university's seats in the House of Commons. He continued to maintain the family's substantial electoral interests, and to collect objets d'art to decorate Belvoir Castle. He pledged to redeem his father's substantial debts, but was hampered by his passion for gambling. On 26 December 1775, he married Lady Mary Isabella Somerset (d. 1831), daughter of Charles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort and a celebrated beauty. They had six children: Lady Elizabeth Isabella Manners (d. 5 October 1853), married on 21 August 1798 Richard Norman John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland (1778–1857) Lady Katherine Mary Manners (d.

1 May 1829), married on 16 June 1800 Cecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron Forester General Lord Charles Henry Somerset Manners (24 October 1780 – 25 May 1855), died unmarried Major-General Lord Robert William Manners (14 December 1781 – 15 November 1835) Lord William Robert Albanac Manners (1783–1793) Later in life, he was said to have been the lover of Elizabeth Billington. Granby entered parliament in opposition to the North Ministry and as an ally to the Rockingham Whigs. He acted only as an observer until reaching his majority, and made his maiden speech on 5 April 1775, advocating free trade with the southern American Colonies. The speech brought him thanks from his father's friend Chatham, whom he praised, and initiated a friendship with William Pitt the Younger. It much disappointed the Court, and particularly Lord Mansfield, who had thought to govern the young Granby.

During the American Revolution, he followed Chatham in urging reconciliation with America, and was one of those who questioned the conduct of Admiral Keppel in March 1779. He did not follow this up, and does not seem to have spoken in Parliament afterwards, acceeding to the dukedom on 29 May 1779. He was able to obtain a seat for his friend Pitt at Appleby in 1780 when Pitt failed of re-election for Cambridge University, and promised him a seat in one of the boroughs of the Rutland interest in the future. His own Parliamentary interest notwithstanding, he supported Pitt's plans for reform. With the entry of the French into the war, he became colonel of the Leicestershire militia, and was created Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire on 9 July 1779, an honor bestowed by George III in person. On 30 October 1782, he was made a Knight of the Garter and was made Lord Steward of the Household[2] and sworn of the Privy Council on 17 February 1783.

Shelburne thus brought him into the cabinet; but the appointment met with royal disfavor and prompted the resignation of Grafton and the collapse of the ministry. Rutland was by now an ally of Pitt, and upon his premiership, became Lord Privy Seal in December 1783. Rutland was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on 11 February 1784. He was enthusiastic for Pitt's Irish policy and the union which it entailed, but became increasingly doubtful of its implementation. In 1785, Pitt and Rutland successfully worked a trade plan through the Irish Parliament, initially against the opposition of Henry Grattan and Henry Flood. However the Foxite opposition in the British House of Commons so gutted the measure with amendments that it was rejected in its new form in Ireland. While the Irish opposition was later reconciled to Pitt's bona fides with regard to trade, the episode demoralized Thomas Orde, the Chief Secretary of Ireland, and further hindered efforts at reform. Rutland was increasingly popular as viceroy, in part because of his convivial nature and ample banquets at Dublin Castle.

In summer 1787, he made an extended and rigorous tour of the midlands and north of Ireland, but his excessive consumption of claret was by now taking a toll upon his health. He died of liver disease on 24 October 1787 at Phoenix Park Lodge. References 1.^ Venn, J.; Venn, J. A., eds. (1922–1958). "Granby, Charles (Manners), Marquess of". Alumni Cantabrigienses (10 vols) (online ed.). Cambridge University Press. 2.^ During Rutland's term as Lord Steward of the Household, Lincoln's Inn barrister Levett Blackborne served him as his Steward of the Court of the Board of Green Cloth. Thorne, Roland (May 2006) [2004]. "Manners, Charles, fourth duke of Rutland (1754–1787)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. . Retrieved 19 October 2006.

Manners genealogy Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages [self-published source?][better source needed] From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: __________________ 'Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland 'M, #15283, b. 15 March 1754, d. 24 October 1787 Last Edited=28 Sep 2010 Consanguinity Index=0.0% ' Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland was born on 15 March 1754. He was the son of John Manners, Marquess of Granby and Lady Frances Seymour. He married Lady Mary Isabella Somerset, daughter of Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort and Elizabeth Berkeley, on 26 December 1775. He died on 24 October 1787 at age 33. ' He gained the title of 4th Duke of Rutland. 'Children of Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland and Lady Mary Isabella Somerset 1.Elizabeth Isabella Manners+ d.

5 Oct 1853 2.Lady Katherine Mary Manners+1 d. 1 May 1829 3.John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland+ b. 4 Jan 1778, d. 20 Jan 1857 4.General Lord Charles Henry Somerset Manners b. 24 Oct 1780, d. 25 May 1855 5.Maj.-Gen. Robert William Manners b. 14 Dec 1781, d. 15 Nov 1835 Citations 1.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 276.

Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage. From: #i15283 ______________ General John Manners, Marquess of Granby PC, (Kelham, 2 January 1721 – 18 October 1770, Scarborough), British soldier, was the eldest son of the 3rd Duke of Rutland. As he did not outlive his father, he was known by his father's subsidiary title, Marquess of Granby. He is probably best known today for being popularly supposed to have more pubs named after him than any other person - due, it is said, to his practice of setting up old soldiers of his regiment as publicans when they were too old to serve any longer.[1] ..... He had two illegitimate children by an unknown mistress:[8] George Manners (c. 1746–1772) Anne Manners, married John Manners-Sutton, her first cousin He married Lady Frances Seymour (1728–1761), daughter of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset on 3 September 1750.

They had six children: John Manners, Lord Roos (29 August 1751 – 2 June 1760, London) Lady Frances Manners (1753 – 15 October 1792) 'Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland (1754–1787) Lady Catherine Manners, died young Lord Robert Manners (1758–1782) Lady Caroline Manners, died young From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: ____________________ Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland's Timeline 1754 Ten dukes-a-dining: Gathered together over lunch for a unique picture, the grandees with £2bn and 340,000 acres between them | Daily Mail Online Ten dukes-a-dining: Gathered together over lunch for a unique picture, the grandees with £2bn and 340,000 acres between them comments At first glance, it might resemble the board meeting of a firm of auctioneers or a convention of prep school headmasters.

On closer inspection, it is actually a remarkable portrait of the grandest club in Britain, a super-elite who account for some 340,000 acres, more than £2billion and 4,505 years of aristocratic moving and shaking. Some owe their fortunes to bravery in battle, others to royal philandering or political chicanery. But they are all distantly related to each other and they are all addressed in exactly the same way: Your Grace. Outside the Royal Family, dukedoms have only ever been granted to a handful of men of power and influence. The assembled: (from left to right) 1. James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose; 2. David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland; 3. John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset; 4. Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland; 5. Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford; 6. Edward Fizalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk; 7. Torquhil Campbell, 18th Duke of Argyll; 8.

Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster; 9. Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans; 10. Arthur Wellesey, 8th Duke of Wellington. See list below for details Dukes are just one rung down from royalty in the social pecking order and enjoy a special status way above the rank and file of the aristocracy. As peerages go, it's the jackpot. Today, there are just 24 non-royal dukes in existence, down from a total of 40 in their Georgian heyday. And it's fair to say that no modern monarch or government is likely to create any more. So, to celebrate its 300th birthday, Tatler magazine decided to invite this dwindling band of mega-toffs to a ducal lunch. The result was the largest gathering of dukes since the Coronation of 1953. Some were too frail to attend. Some live abroad. But ten of them gathered for oysters and Dover sole in London's clubland. And the result is this intriguing study of 21st century nobility.

'After 300 years, we wanted to recapture the spirit of the original Tatler, and what better than a room full of dukes,' says Tatler editor Catherine Ostler. Once, the holders of these titles would have been the A-list celebrities of their time. Today, most people would be pushed to name a single one of them. With hereditary peers cast out into the political wilderness, dukes might seem little more than a comic anachronism in modern Britain. While they retain their rank and social clout, their only power is financial. In the case of, say, the Duke of Bedford, this amounts to £500million in art, London property and a large slab of Home Counties commuter belt. As for the Duke of Leinster, whose grandfather ran a teashop, it is next to nothing. A very special edition: The picture appears in the November issue of Tatler magazine Yet many dukes still play an active part in public life. The Duke of Norfolk, as hereditary Earl Marshal, is still responsible for organising the State Opening of Parliament and any coronations which should occur. The Duke of Northumberland runs several public bodies across the North East while his wife is the local Lord Lieutenant.

The very first dukedom was a royal affair. In 1337, Edward III created his son, the Black Prince, the Duke of Cornwall. The title derives from the Latin dux - leader - and, throughout history, fewer than 500 British men have held the rank of 'Duke'. The last non-royal dukedom was created in 1900 for the former Earl of Fife, who was upgraded to Duke following his wedding to Queen Victoria's granddaughter. There might have been a new one in 1955 when the Queen offered one to Churchill, but he declined, preferring to die a commoner. The only non-duke at the Tatler gathering was historian Andrew Roberts, invited to chronicle the event. 'They're all related and they all stick up for each other,' he recalls. But he fears that dukes could become an endangered species. 'Not long ago, two important dukedoms - Newcastle and Portland - became extinct,' says the historian. 'So, my parting plea to the dukes was simple, even if it startled some of them.

I simply said: 'Keep procreating!' The Who's Who of Dukedom: 1 James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose Age: 72. Title created: 1707. Other titles include Viscount Dundaff and Lord Aberuthven, Mugdock and Fintrie. Seat: Auchmar, a modest estate near Loch Lomond. Wealth: A high-ranking, but lower league landowner with 8,800 acres valued at around £1 million in 2001. History: The dukedom was awarded for supporting the Act of Union in 1707. The sixth Duke helped to invent the aircraft carrier during World War I. The present Duke spent part of his childhood in a mud hut in Rhodesia (where his father was building a farm). Instead of the usual Eton education, he attended Loretto School in Edinburgh - just like the Chancellor, Alistair Darling. 2 David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland Age: 50. Title created: 1703. Other titles include Marquess of Granby and Baron Roos of Belvoir. Seat: Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire.

Wealth: Ranked 474th in the latest Rich List, he is valued at £115 million. Estates across Leicestershire (12,000 acres), Derbyshire (10,000 acres), Cambridgeshire (4,000 acres) and Lincolnshire (2,000 acres). History: While the main seat, Belvoir, is a magnificent 365-room pile with an underground railway and £100 million of art, the family also owns Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, widely recognised as one of Britain's finest medieval and Tudor manor houses. A previous Marquess of Granby (later the third duke) was a popular soldier and helped many of his men with their retirement, hence the number of pubs called the Marquess of Granby. 3 John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset Age: 56. Title created: 1547. His other title is Lord Seymour. Seat: Maiden Bradley, Somerset. Wealth: Around 5,000 acres of Somerset, including several villages. History: He is a descendant of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife.

The first Duke of Somerset, Edward Seymour, was Jane's brother. The family owns the fourposter oak bed in which Edward VI is said to have been conceived. Having rented out his main house at £50,000 a year, the Duke runs the estate from a smaller house in Devon. 4 Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland Age: 52. Title created: 1766. Other titles include Earl Percy, Earl of Beverley, Baron Warkworth. Seat: Alnwick Castle, Northumberland. Wealth: With 132,000 acres, Syon Park in West London and a substantial art collection, he is valued at £300 million and ranked No. 178 on the latest Rich List. History: Part of the original Norman Conquest gang, the Percy family have been dominant in their part of the country for centuries. Alnwick Castle is the authentic knight-in-shining-armour fortress and has featured in Blackadder and the Harry Potter films. The present Duke recently sold a Raphael painting to the nation for £22 million, a deal which attracted controversy because of the use of Lottery funds.

The newly-refurbished Alnwick Garden is a major tourist attraction. 5 Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford Age: 47. Title created: 1694. Other titles include Marquess of Tavistock and Baron Howland Seat: Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire Wealth: Valued at £489million. Owns 23,000 acres and prime central London real estate. History: The first Duke fought on both sides in the Civil War and was ennobled after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The family has made Woburn Abbey a major tourist attraction and the present Duke is busy refurbishing much of the London estate (significantly smaller than it once was after much of it became part of London University). The family were stars of the BBC's Country House series. 6 Edward Fizalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk Age: 53. Title created: 1483. Other titles include Earl of Surrey and Baron Maltravers. Seat: Arundel Castle, West Sussex.

Wealth: Half his 30,000 acres are in leafy West Sussex, while the family also owns a ten-acre parcel of London valued at £100 million in 2001. History: As England's senior duke, Norfolk carries the hereditary title of Earl Marshal. As such, he plays an important role in running state occasions. The family's royal links stretch back centuries and the present Duke's wife, Georgina, stands in for the Queen at rehearsals of the State Opening of Parliament. The Duke's eldest son and heir, Henry, the Earl of Arundel, 21, is a promising Formula Three driver. 7 Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll Age: 41. Title created: 1701. Other titles include Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne, Viscount Lochow and Glenilla and Lord Morvern. Seat: Inveraray Castle, Argyllshire. Wealth: Family owns 60,000 acres of Scotland, valued at £12.5m in 2001.

History: The dukedom comes with plenty of baggage, including the hereditary posts of Master of HM's Household in Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The family suffered serious scandal in the Sixties, when the divorce proceedings of the 11th duke unearthed a famous photograph of his soon-to-be former wife with a mysterious naked man. The present duke, when not working in the whisky trade, is captain of the Scottish elephant polo team. 8 Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster Age: 61. Title created: 1766. Other titles include Marquess of Kildare and Earl of Offaly Seat: Formerly Carton House, Co. Kildare. Now a farmhouse in Oxfordshire. Wealth: No landholdings of any note, the Duke works as a landscape gardener. History: The FitzGeralds assisted Edward I in his battles against the Scots. The family fortunes declined in the 20th century after the 7th Duke sold his interests in the family estates and was then declared bankrupt.

His fourth wife, with whom he opened a teashop in Rye in 1965, was the caretaker of the block of flats in which he lived. Educated at Millfield, the present Duke is president of the Oxfordshire Dyslexia Association. 9 Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans Age: 70. Title created: 1684. Other titles include Earl of Burford, and Baron Heddington. Seat: A terrace house in Knightsbridge, London. Wealth: Never a great landowning family, the Beauclerks were said to own 4,000 acres, worth £12m, in 2001. History: The first Duke was the illegitimate son of Charles II and Nell Gwyn. Though the present Duke is a Tonbridge-educated chartered accountant, an eccentric strain still runs through family. His heir, the Earl of Burford, has long campaigned to prove his ancestor, Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the true author of the works of Shakespeare.

In 1999, the young Earl was forcibly expelled from the House of Lords for jumping on the Woolsack and accusing the Government of treason in its expulsion of hereditary peers. 10 Arthur Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington Age: 94. Title created: 1814. Other titles include Prince of Waterloo, Duke of Vittoria and Earl of Mornington. Seat: Stratfield Saye House, Hampshire and Apsley House, London. Wealth: 7,000-acre Hampshire estate, 20,000 acres of Belgium and Spain. Thought to be worth £50m in 2001. History: Like the original Iron Duke, the present Duke had a long Army career, winning the Military Cross and reaching the rank of Brigadier. In later life, he has devoted himself to his estates and charities, coming top in Country Life's 'Good Duke Guide' in 1991. His heir, the Marquess of Douro, is a former Tory MEP while his daughter, Lady Jane Wellesley, was once talked of as a bride for the Prince of Wales.

More recent beaux include Melvyn Bragg and Loyd Grossman. 1000+ images about Belvoir Castle on Pinterest | Lady diana, Hunt's and England Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Belvoir Castle Belvoir Castle is one of the least known great houses in Britain. Rising like a fairy palace over the plains of the Vale of Belvoir in Leicestershire, and dating back originally to 1067, it is the home of the Duke of Rutland. Both one of the finest regency residences in England and a treasure trove of great paintings and furniture, the castle also houses an important collection of porcelain, silks and tapestries, sculptures and paintings. 224 Pins1.84k Followers Belvoir Castle (UK) - Stately Home in England Belvoir Castle (UK) BOOKS Belvoir Castle is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir. Belvoir castle has been the home of the Manners family for five hundred years, and seat of the dukes of Rutland for over three centuries.

A corner of the castle is still used as the family home of the Manners family and remains the seat of the Dukes of Rutland. The present Castle is the fourth building to have stood on the site since Norman times.. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle is open to the public and contains many works of art. The castle is open to the public. Highlights include lavish staterooms, the most famous being the Elizabeth Saloon (named after the wife of the 5th Duke), the Regents Gallery and the Roman inspired State Dining Room.The castle sits in a vast estate of almost 15,000 acres (120 km²). The landscaped grounds, nearer the castle, are also open and the Root Houses, built by the fifth Duke's wife, can also be seen. The present Duchess is restoring Belvoir Gardens, which includes the Secret Valley Garden and the Rustic Summerhouse of 1800. Belvoir means beautiful view in French, though it is pronounced “Beaver”, like the other Belvoir Castle, a Crusader Castle in modern Syria.

The name "Belvoir" is a Norman import by the French-speaking conquerors, though the native Anglo-Saxon population was unable to pronounce such a foreign word, preferring to call it " Beaver Castle". Belvoir Castle is still pronounced "Beaver" -- despite its spelling. The castle is near several villages, including Redmile, Woolsthorpe, Knipton, Harston, Harlaxton, Croxton Kerrial and Bottesford, and the town of Grantham. Address: Telephone from the UK: 01476 871002 Telephone from the US: 010 44 1476 871002 Telephone from France: 00 44 1476 871002 Telephone from other countries: +44 (0)1476 871002 Fax: 01476 87044 Google map showing the location of Belvoir Castle (UK) Google map showing Belvoir Castle (UK) A Norman castle originally stood on the high ground in this spot.

During the English Civil War, it was one of the more notable strongholds of the king's supporters. It eventually passed into the hands of the Dukes of Rutland and following a fire, was rebuilt by the wife of the 5th Duke, and gained its present Gothic castle look. The architect James Wyatt was chiefly responsible for this restructuring, and the result is a building which bears a superficial resemblance to a medieval castle, its central tower reminiscent of Windsor Castle. Belvoir was a royal manor until it was granted to Robert, 1st baron de Ros in 1257. When that family died out in 1508 the manor and castle passed to George Manners, who inherited the castle and barony through his mother. His son was created Earl of Rutland in 1525, and John Manners, 9th Earl of Rutland was created Duke of Rutland in 1703.. The Queen's Royal Lancers Regimental Museum of the 17th and 21st Lancers was established here in 1964 but was required to leave in October 2007.

The estate is open to the public and offers a range of outdoor activities - shooting, fishing, quad biking and four-by-four driving. Throughout the year they host sheep, duck and dog exhibitions. The Duke and Duchess of Rutland also manage Manners Arms, a country hotel and restaurant on the Belvoir estate Since spring 2006, the castle has been the venue for an annual folk music weekend. Organised by volunteers. Performers from all over the region forgo their usual fees and expenses, for the chance to play in Belvoir's ballroom, guardroom, old servants' hall and the Regent's gallery. Belvoir Castle is the host of Belvoir Fireworks. a pyrotechnic and firework competition. The Duke and Duchess of Rutland: it's one wing for him and one wing for her - Telegraph The Duke and Duchess of Rutland: it's one wing for him and one wing for her Infidelity, a fairy-tale castle and a pragmatic duchess determined to safeguard the family fortune 'A difficult situation’: the Duchess of Rutland at Belvoir Castle Photo: Martin Pope Comments The aristocracy have always been inventive when their marriages break down. They can afford to be.

A blind eye here, an understanding there, a delicate readjustment of room space to conduct their separate lives while maintaining the fiction of harmonious family life. However, nothing so smotheringly conventional was ever going to do for the Duke and Duchess of Rutland who, at the weekend, made public their own solution to the challenges of infidelity: after 20 years of marriage, they are now living in different wings of their colossal gothic castle at Belvoir, each able to entertain a lover without undue embarrassment and to come together for occasional family meals with their five children. “It is a situation that many might find difficult, or impossible, to fathom,” wrote Emma Rutland in a lengthy, confessional article in a Sunday newspaper. Well no, not really. Not when you leave aside the personal hurt and take a look at the books. Belvoir Castle, a floating fantasy of towers and turrets overlooking its pastoral vale, is a fantastic little heritage industry, probably one of the most successful stately-home operations in the country.

Russians, Americans and Chinese pay handsomely to blast pheasant and partridge on its 60,000 acres of prime shooting, and then to be hosted in ducal splendour over dinner before retiring to exquisite, Downtonesque bedrooms. It is also one of the most desirable wedding backdrops in Middle England; a conference venue of unparalleled grandeur, and a popular location with film directors (The Da Vinci Code, The Young Victoria). There is a custom-designed “Rutland” 12-bore shotgun and a Duchess range of furniture. The hundreds of rooms, illogical lobbies and twisting corridors are a museum of fine art. Related Articles Lucy Cavendish: how the other half lives 10 Sep 2012 And who is behind all this? Who travels the world promoting Belvoir as if she has known it from birth? Who has bothered to master every historical fact and family anecdote? Who gets up at 4am during the school holidays to deal with estate business? Who handles the vast rental portfolio?

Emma Rutland, 50, was not to the castle born, but she is an intelligent hands-on duchess with several minor careers behind her (she trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and then worked variously as a land agent, tour guide, interior designer) and she has learnt how to make her husband’s ailing estate pay. No wonder they managed to reach “a state of equilibrium” where they have separate quarters under the same two-and-a-half acre roof and the castle wins hands down. Too much was at stake for it to be any other way. They say they will both live in the castle for the sake of their children. (“In the hope of reducing some of the disruption to their lives.”) But equally, they must find it expedient to live in the castle for the sake of the castle. Their solution is medieval in its utter pragmatism. When David became the 11th Earl in 1999, his family seat in Leicestershire was a chilly, inefficient edifice sliding into ruin, with death duties of £9 million and far too many staff. Emma’s practical approach was well illustrated by a disastrous night soon after they moved in.

The children woke her to report that water was cascading into the two libraries. She pulled her Barbour on over her nightdress, yanked on her wellies and went on to the roof to investigate. A dead pigeon was blocking the drain. “I slid down the lead roof on my bottom and dug it out with my bare hands. That dead pigeon taught me a lot.” She installed birds of prey which have since become a tourist attraction. “We [modern duchesses] are not spoiled creatures sitting up in a tower having our nails filed,” she told me in the summer. At Belvoir, Emma Rutland went on to discover skills she never knew she had on a canvas bigger than she’d ever imagined. Her stylish mark is everywhere. She made over as if she were personally inventing the stately make-over. She created order out of chaos. The control and the results excited her. “I always say I am the chief executive here,” she said. “I love my job. I run it all. David’s the chairman. He’s involved in other things, but not the nuts and bolts.

We have a great relationship, whereby he totally trusts me and my judgment and I take things to him for the rubber stamp.” After the interview, I went back to her to check I had got that bit right. It made him sound like a cipher. Was it true to say her husband was a shy man, uneasy in social situations, as I’d heard, and preferred his field sports and archival interests to running the estate? She wrote back to say he was “very involved in everything.” Later the same week, I received an extravagant new book, written by the duchess, called Shooting: A Season of Discovery, with a picture of her on the front cover, gun in hand, wearing a fur hat and fur-trimmed suede gilet. Belvoir Castle was a dreamy blur in the background. What struck me on reading the book was how much time she had spent on other grand estates – in one season, she had visited 20 different shoots all over Britain – as well as running her own and promoting Belvoir abroad. The union of a sparky farmer’s daughter from Powys (“I didn’t know an Honourable.

Let alone a Lord”) and the stolid heir to a castle that had been in the family for 500 years was viewed with cynicism by some of their friends. “Had I understood what joining this family entailed? More importantly, could I breed?” When a mutual friend introduced them at a party, David Granby (as he then was) remarked: “I like the cut of her jib.” The card he handed her at the end of the evening read: “Marquis of Granby, Registered firearms dealer.” In her naivety, she thought he might own a pub. The marriage turned into a business partnership of pure gold. The heir to the dukedom had not only found a woman who bore him the necessary two sons and three dazzling daughters, but helped to turn his fortunes around as estate manager, hostess, marketing supremo and interior designer. She, in turn, acquired a showcase for her entrepreneurial talent, a country life she loved and the chance to wear glorious frocks. Perhaps because she herself is in a new relationship (''with a man who works on the estate’’), the duchess is keen to record that her husband “strayed” first.

“In August 1999, just weeks after the birth of our son, Charles, I learnt that David was having an affair with a lady in London,” she says. “I can remember even now how the pain cut through my heart, leaving me wretched, angry and bitter.” They underwent counselling and renewed their vows at Charles’s christening. But their teamwork in repairing the estate had merely disguised the disrepair of the marriage. “A crucial and precious ingredient had gone: trust.” By 2009, when she threw a party for her husband’s 50th birthday, the duchess suspected he had a new mistress (''The lady in question had been living on the estate for a number of years.’’). She tried to be philosophical: “Affairs happen and part of me hoped that this one would fizzle out.” She says it was her elder children who persuaded her than she should not “accept the affair and endorse it as normal” and who helped them reach the two-lives-one-castle compromise.

So she and the children will stay in the converted Nursery Wing that serves as their “intimate” family home away from the public areas, and he will live in the Shepherds’ Tower, where they had intended to move as a family. It allows the couple to “work together to preserve the heritage of Belvoir and remind visitors that, as far as the castle is concerned, it’s very much business as usual.” Exactly. Far from being difficult to fathom, it is a situation that is surprisingly easy to grasp. Read Elizabeth Grice’s interview with the Duchess of Rutland at

Question: Which Leicestershire family seat is home to the Duke of Rutland?
Answer: BELVOIR CASTLE